[/b]- Depends on the character, if the character is supposed to volatile and itching for violence... then it is good roleplaying. If the person is supposed to be a level-headed priest... then it's bad roleplaying. To call it bad roleplaying regardless of this factor doesn't make much sense... If they act the way their character is supposed to behave... it's good roleplaying. -- It does sound like you are just trying to pin a "Bad-RP" label on the majority of those who like dueling.
Exactly. I was awarded exp by a GM last night for IC belligerince as he was trying to coyly answer questions to a few straggelers after the Huney quest/event. Because for an alpha male type, conflict and ego IS good RPing.
Obviously some do not even begin to understand what makes "alpha (fe)male types" tick.
Conquest, conflict, personal trials of pain and hardship, open battle, and verbal instigation (to name a few) are what makes alpha's tick. Tyring to enforce some kind of socialist wet-dream of utopian harmony is as fool-hardy as the new "exploit" restrictions aimed at ending effective moving combat.
*EDIT*
There are a lot of OOC activities that people commonly engage in. Camping spawn points is a powerful example.
For me though, there's just something obnoxious with the way people seem to put dueling on a pedestal.
Hmmm, yes, clearly you are a jock-hater.
I bet it burns you up that football players and boxers are also so-admired by most.
http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Jock
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Seriously, for now I don't see the point on roleplaying a duelist using the current game engine. Where can a character buy a rapier and learn the specific art of fencing?
IC i have Lvl 50 daggers and lvl 18 swords, yet you want to know if i've "learned the art of fencing". What exactly do you think "Training skills" involves? It is classroom/sparring instruction that is then perfected in the field with actual combat. I've been a RL m.artist/fencer for going on 20 years, and my RL skills pale in comparison to the training "Valorius rageway" has acquired IC.
Furthermore, the weapons used in a duel are irrelevent. The only thing that should matter is that both combatants use a matched set of like weaponry. Be it claymores or daggers, or even ungloved fists.
As far as rapiers- yes, by all means, include them. But then, i've already called for weapons dviersification.